<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Tea Together by DawnsEternalLight</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27419416">Tea Together</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DawnsEternalLight/pseuds/DawnsEternalLight'>DawnsEternalLight</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Comfortember 2020 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alfred is a mention, Blood, Bruce Wayne - Freeform, Cassandra Cain - Freeform, Comfortember 2020, Day 6, Fluff, Gen, Jason Todd - Freeform, Tea, afraid to sleep, but like way after the fact, conversations about tea, fear toxin, it's just batkids being soft together, minor injury, this is really just fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:27:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,472</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27419416</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DawnsEternalLight/pseuds/DawnsEternalLight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After a rough patrol, the Batkids all gather one by one in the cave to shake off the night's fears, and spend some time together.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Damian Wayne &amp; Everyone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Comfortember 2020 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2000227</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>268</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Tea Together</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>:D I hope you guys like this one, it's my entry for Comfortember 2020 day 6: Afraid to Sleep</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Damian huffed and settled back in Father’s chair at the computer. His eyes were itchy, but the last thing he wanted to do was go upstairs and sleep. Fear tickled the back of his mind, even now well after the antitoxin was supposed to have kicked in. </p><p>He pulled his feet up onto the chair, and tugged his knees close to his chest. When Father returned, then Damian would go to bed. He just needed to know Father was fine. To see him safely returned from beating up that stupid scarecrow and back home. </p><p>Father was not the only person on Damian’s mind. But he had checked on them. Each and every one of his siblings were upstairs. Settled in their rooms, somehow able to sleep. </p><p>Perhaps it was just that they were more used to Crane’s toxin than Damian was, and could shake off its lingering effects faster. Damian did not wish to <em> ever </em> be used to that horrid stuff. </p><p>Footsteps made him jump in the chair. He dropped his feet, kicked it back, and was standing with a hastily grabbed batarang clutched in his palm before he realized who was approaching. </p><p>Thomas stood blinking at Damian with his hands held up in defense. After a moment, Damian let his own hand drop, fingers still wrapped around the weapon. His chest heaved and he tried, uselessly, to get a hold of himself. Memories of a night wandering, with not so friendly faces lurking everywhere were still fresh, and made Damian want to hide from it all. Instead he focused on catching his breath, and ignoring those failures.</p><p>“Sorry, should have announced myself.” </p><p>Damian released a slow stream of air before responding, “I thought you were asleep?” </p><p>Thomas rubbed the back of his neck and frowned, “I tried. But--I keep seeing my parents, every time I close my eyes.” </p><p>Ah. He too was still trying to shake the effects of the toxin. </p><p>“I was keeping an eye on Father.” Damian said, by way of invitation, “If you would like, I will cede the chair to you and make us some tea?” </p><p>“That’d be great. I was thinking I’d wear myself out with work or something, but company is nice too.” </p><p>Damian nodded, “Perhaps an herbal tea?” </p><p>“Actually, I liked that,” Thomas frowned and waved his hands, “Butterfly dragon something tea? It was blue.”</p><p>“I know the one.” Damian nodded, “It is a white tea, will you be okay with caffeine?” </p><p>It really wasn’t a question that needed asking. Neither of them planned to sleep for a while, but Damian felt it a kindness for some reason to at least ask, perhaps Pennyworth was wearing off on him more than he’d realized. </p><p>“I’d rather have flavor over sleep, I think.” Thomas answered. </p><p>Damian nodded, then remembered the weapon in his hand, he reached up to replace the batarang and winced. He had not been thinking when he’d picked it up, and his stupid fear bogged mind had not remembered all the ends were sharp. </p><p>Gingerly he peeled his hand open, wincing as the sharp tips of the batarang’s wings pulled out of his skin. They left little slices in his palm that were already stinging.</p><p>“Crap.” Thomas cried, “I didn’t realize you’d hurt yourself.” </p><p>“Neither did I.” Damian blinked down at the red pooling against the metal. </p><p>He dropped the batarang on the desk and squeezed his hand, something starting to rise up in the back of his mind again, fear teasing him like an itch. </p><p>“Come on, let’s get that wrapped, then I’ll make the tea.” </p><p>Numb, Damian shook his head, “Not if you want it to taste good.”</p><p>Thomas took him by the shoulders. Damian saw it coming, watched him reach out, and still, the moment contact was made, sharp fear like ice shot through him. Damian jerked back, and had to stop himself lashing out. Instead he pressed his hurt hand to his chest, heaving.</p><p>“Sorry.” he said, voice almost a whisper through clenched teeth, “I am still jumpy.”</p><p>“Man, me too. Let’s get your hand fixed up and then we’ll have that tea? It might help both of us calm down.” </p><p>Damian nodded, and this time when Thomas reached out, he allowed it. Together, they moved away from the computer to one of the chairs by the medical equipment. Damian flopped down into the chair while Thomas turned to hunt down supplies. </p><p>“What’s going on?” Drake asked, announcing himself as he stepped into the cave. </p><p>“Just keeping distracted.” Thomas answered. </p><p>“And you guys are in the med bay because?” Drake moved over to them and caught sight of Damian’s bloody hand, “Ah, what happened?”</p><p>“I thought Thomas was an intruder and was not paying attention to what I grabbed.” Damian said, poking at red, irritated skin, “A batarang was at hand.” </p><p>“Shoot, Damian.”</p><p>Damian rolled his eyes and scowled at Drake, “I am aware it was a stupid act.” </p><p>“No, I mean, that had to hurt. Duke you getting some painkillers too?” </p><p>“I will.” </p><p>“I do not need them.” Damian called back. </p><p>Drake hopped up on one of the gurneys and kicked his feet out lightly, watching Damian. Damian in turn watched him.</p><p>It was obvious Drake had gotten no real sleep either. The blue of his eyes was ringed with red, and they were still watery from tears. It seemed he too was having trouble fighting off fear. Damian wondered if the others would all end up filing down one at a time the same way Timothy and Duke already had. </p><p>“I was going to make tea.” Damian said, “Would you like some when we are done here?” </p><p>Drake shrugged, “Sure, as long as it’s not that pink stuff Alfred made last time.”</p><p>“Hibiscus?” Damian asked. </p><p>“Yeah.” Drake wrinkled his nose, “It tasted like kool aid, but if you’d forgotten sugar and made it hot.” </p><p>“That hibiscus stuff?” Thomas asked, arriving at last with his arms full of supplies. </p><p>Damian had never had kool aid, hot or cold, but he had enjoyed the flowery taste of the tea. And Drake was a fool not to have added some sugar, it cut the bitterness that sometimes felt overpowering. He did not speak up about his enjoyment because he did not wish to get in another argument about tea. Instead he moved to find compromise. </p><p>“Do not tell Pennyworth you did not like it.” Damian said, “Or he will stop trying new flavors and we will all be back to just black tea.” </p><p>He liked black tea, but Damian also liked many different kinds of teas and he would be lying if he said he didn’t wish for more flavor in all aspects of their lives at the manor. It had taken some convincing but lately Pennyworth had been buying more and more flavors for them to try, and Damian would do anything to keep it that way, at least until he’d discovered a few more new favorites. </p><p>“True.” Thomas said, “I do like that he’s been mixing it up lately.” </p><p>Thomas helped Damian clean his hand, and bandage it. None of the cuts were deep enough he needed stitches, and by the end of things Damian was feeling more embarrassed over his accident than anything. </p><p>“I will start the tea.” he declared, standing, “Thank you for your assistance, Thomas.” </p><p>“No problem. It was kind of my fault anyway.” </p><p>“Tt, I do not believe it was anyone’s.” Damian said, then pushed past both other boys to hurry over to the cave’s small kitchenette.</p><p>For a moment, Damian lost himself in filling up a kettle and setting it on the tiny single burner to start warming. He needed to keep a careful eye on the temperature or the delicate white tea would not be able to steep properly and have it’s proper flavor. </p><p>As he waited, he measured out leaves into the tea pot’s strainer, and checked the water’s temperature frequently. Behind him, Thomas and Drake chatted quiet enough Damian could not make out their words, but loud enough he was still aware of their presence.</p><p>As Damian finally lifted the kettle from the burner he heard Drake call out to him. </p><p>“Better make that five cups!” </p><p>Damian replaced the kettle and turned to look at a cave now filled with people. While he had been focused on his task both Todd and Cain had descended. Damian nodded, at each in turn and instead of scooping out enough leaves for five people, he added enough for six, just in case. He hoped Richard would be able to sleep through the night, but it seemed there was perhaps more to Crane’s toxin than a dose of antitoxin could cure in a few hours. </p><p>Carefully, he poured water over the leaves and smiled at how almost immediately he could see blue seeping out into the water. The dried pea leaves gave the tea its color, while the other flavors of mango, dragonfruit, and simple white leaves blended to add complexity Damian loved. Plus, it was quite simply a fun color. </p><p>He settled the lid over the pot to let the tea steep, and moved to collecting mugs for everyone. They didn’t keep the nice teacups down here because too often they’d end up thrown or crashed into. It was better to have more sturdy mugs in the cave. </p><p>As Damian lifted the platter with the tea and mugs he could not help but smile at his family crowding around the computer in the cave. Chairs had been pulled up, and chatter rumbled through the room like the bats above when they were most active. </p><p>Not even a year ago, Damian would have hated this. Hated the noise, and the bustle of people. Most of all, he’d hate being the one preparing tea for everyone. <em> Like a servant </em>. He would have scoffed. </p><p>Now? He was happy to make sure everyone down here was distracted enough to stave off the fear still eating away at each of their minds. </p><p>It had been a bad night. </p><p>Crane had managed to lure them all except for Batman and Spoiler --both of which had been on their way-- into a cornfield, filled with drugged fog. Damian did not really want to think about the hour he’d spent wandering, afraid, and yelling for Richard who had been at his side one moment, and gone the next. Or about how he’d frozen up when faced with Crane or--He shook his head, flinging the thoughts away. </p><p>Father and Brown had, of course, found them and helped, but not before Crane had escaped. Which was why they were still out, and the rest of the team was home, slowly admitting to not being as fine as they’d each claimed earlier. </p><p>“You will pour your own.” Damian declared, settling the platter on one of the tables in the room, hoping no one noticed how his hands shook or the stupid quiver in his voice he couldn’t force into stillness. </p><p>“Thanks squirt.” Todd said, swooping in to ruffle Damian’s hair. </p><p>He ducked out of the way, scowling. </p><p>Cain hooked an arm around his and smiled at him, all mischief and delight, “Come with me.” she whispered in his ear. </p><p>She also pulled Drake away and soon all three were back upstairs. Damian frowned at Cain until his sister piled his arms high with pillows and cushions. When he turned his head, he found Drake similarly weighed down, and soon they were carrying what had to be most of the manor’s soft things downstairs. </p><p>Todd let out a whoop seeing the pillows, cushions, and blankets. Damian dumped his load in front of his older brother and hurried away to pour himself a cup of tea. Letting the noise of his family putting together an impromptu slumber party fall to the background. </p><p>His hands were shaking. Cain’s distraction had not quite been enough to pull him out of his thoughts about the night’s events and Damian simply wished for the familiar comfort of a warm mug between his palms to steady nerves still frayed by toxin. </p><p>He’d just taken the first sip when someone knocked lightly on the table. Damian glanced up to find Richard smiling at him.</p><p>“How come no one told me there was a party happening downstairs?” </p><p>“We had hoped you were sleeping.” Damian answered. </p><p>He set his own mug down, and poured one for Richard, handing his brother the cup. Richard took the mug and smiled at the liquid. </p><p>“I love this one.” </p><p>Damian pressed his lips together and claimed his own mug again, hiding a blush with a deep sip of the warm drink. </p><p>“I am sorry you could not sleep either.” he said, once he had composed himself. </p><p>“That’s alright. I’d rather be here, with you all.” </p><p>Richard tugged Damian into a hug, and then led him over to the group, “Groups really are the best at keeping nightmares at bay.” </p><p>His brother was, of course, right. Soon enough Damian was snuggled close to Richard on the cushions everyone had laid out, sipping tea and watching as Todd destroyed Thomas and Drake at Uno with a perfectly timed reverse card. </p><p>He stayed close to Richard, making sure his brother did not feel alone even in the crowd. He should have gone and collected him when he’d realized everyone was having a hard time shaking the toxin’s effects. But he truly had hoped Richard at least could have slept through the night. </p><p>The two of them were awake still, even as the others nodded off on the cushions at last and soft snores replaced laughter and conversation. They’d settled into companionable quiet, with Damian still pressed close, and Richard running his fingers through Damian’s hair.</p><p>“I am sorry.” Damian whispered into the quiet. </p><p>Richard stilled, hand gently resting on Damian’s head, “For?” </p><p>“I couldn’t keep you safe, and then I worried you.” </p><p>“That is nothing to be sorry for. We were all in a pickle.” Richard dropped his hand from Damian’s hair to squeeze him close, “Besides, you’re here now to keep me safe.” </p><p>“It is my job.” Damian said, fiercely.</p><p>Richard laughed, bright and happy, and tugged Damian close before pulling them both back into the cushions with an oof.</p><p>“Let’s try to rest.” he said, “With you here I won’t have any fear of sleeping.” </p><p>Damian rolled his eyes, but shifted so he was tucked close to Richard, “Of course, I will do my best to scare off any further nightmares.” </p><p>Richard tugged a loose blanket over them, and Damian was wrapped in warmth. </p><p>He only woke one more time that night, and it was when he was in Father’s arms pressed close. He felt  his father’s hand against his hair and heard a warm, rumbling, “Sleep well, sweetheart.” And then Damian drifted again, safe, and content. </p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>